Greg Hawke of Peel & St John’s Cricket Club has been named as the first ‘Standard Bank Player of the Month’ for 2014. The award is now in its fifth year and is aimed at showcasing the talents of those who have consistently played well for their clubs.

Nominees are put forward by the Isle of Man Cricket Association (IOMCA) and entrants are judged by a panel which includes: Chris Till, of Standard Bank, Andy Dalrymple of IOM Newspapers and Rob Webber former Isle of Man Captain, and a member of the IOMCA Executive.

For May, Mark Williams, Akkie van den Berg, Luke Lacey, Mark Walker, and Marc Furness were also nominated for their performances and contributions. Chris Till, Head: Technical Banking at Standard Bank, said they were all deserving winners: ‘Judging is always difficult as the nominees are on the list for their strong performances, whether that be in batting or bowling. In the end we chose Greg for his excellent batting record throughout the month, which included a 76 in the Standard Bank Premiership, two further fifties (including a score of 74 ) and an average of 45.6 across all competitions.’

During the season four awards will be up for grabs, Chris Till added that they are an excellent way to encourage individual excellence in what is a team sport: ‘The level of cricket being played by all our nominees shows the strength of Manx cricket. It’s an absolute pleasure for the Judging panel to be able to consider these players and whilst we congratulate Greg for his win, they should all be pleased with making the short list.’

Standard Bank is supporting the IOMCA for the 19th consecutive year, and currently sponsors the Standard Bank Premiership, the 20/20 leagues, the Knockout Challenge Trophy, the Blincoe Cup and the Six-a-side competition

The winner of the ‘Standard Bank Player of the Month’ receives a £50 sports voucher, a Standard Bank cap and a certificate.